Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-29
DION BOUCICAULT.
Am lmmemse House to See ssThe
Shaughraun.,

Smau y mh0ums'
The largest and by far the most re-
markable house in all respects of the
Boucicault season gathered at the
Grand last night to see the great play
wright and actor as "Conn, the Shau
ghraun. The assemblage was 9
most brilliant one, and the delight ex
pressed as the piece ran smoothly
along was unbounded. The cast was
very strong in most of its elements.
and fairly so all through. AS
the villain, "Corry Kinchella," MIR.
Lawrence was not so well fitted
as he was previously in the elegant
gentlemen roles he has played. An
other rather weak element in the cast
was Mr.. Harry Mainhall, who played
to overdoneness the very exigent role
Of Harvey Duff"
MIR. Boucicault in the title role re-
called to mind, perhaps, the most
artistic performance known to the
modern drama. The house gave evi-
dence of the fact that most of those
present were thoroughly familiar
with the piece. They enjoyed the
play, but they experienced a feel
ing finer and deeper in the rendid-
ton of the title role by the great au-
thor-actor himself. We have no de-
sire to praise Mr.. Boucicault. He does
not need it. The compliment is from
him to us. 1t is a privilege to see this
veteran playwright acting in his own
pieces. Yet a few years, and many
will have come to regret that they
missed their present opportunity. The
French have apotheosized Moliere,
who, like Boucicault, wrote the
comedies of his age-comedies in
both cases aimed against the
vices, the expressions and the
follies of each epoch. But impair
tial history will place Boucicault high
above Moliere. Take away from the
latter's repertory Tarute, lie Bour-
qeois Gentilh0mme, L'Ayar, and about
three other pieces, and Moliere is
spent. Each of these pieces, it is
true, were aimed at and struck to the
vitals crying evils of the times. But
what have we to the credit of Bouci-
cault? His series OF Irish pieces-The
Colleen Barn, Arrah Ma Pogue, etc.,
are instinct with that highest kind of
patriotism which vindicates the char
acter of brave people that had been
studiously blackened, and turns
the reproaches OF their ene-
mics into Ithuriel spears from
whose points the light of truth is
sent blazing through the earth. Bou-
cicault has brought the wrongs Of Ire
land to every heart. He has inter
preted between the people of Erin and
the people of the world. Public
opinion has followed him in his inter
pretations, accepted his pictures, and
abhorred the expressions he SO pow
erfully depicts. But this is not all.
Boucicault has given us a whole
library of dramas-over eighty, We
believe and not one of them falls
below mediocrity, whilst many are
grand and beautiful-surpassing the
best of Sheridan's, equal to the
finest OF Knowles's-unapproached
by Shadwell, Gay, Monk, Home
indeed, that whole school of English
dramatists from Dryden down to
Buckstone-who form the pride OF
English dramatic authors, leaving out
the Elizabethan era. Boucicault is
well advanced in years. In the course
of nature he will soon pass away. But
his works shall live. London Assur-
ance will last as long as the English
language; Old Heads and Young
Hearts and the WILLOW Copse will al
ways hold their place upon the boards;
the Octoroon will interest people who
will look upon American slavery as
doubtful tradition, and Arrah ma
Pogue will be played to Irish audi
ences at time when only men versed
in long-past history will know that
England had once treated their island
with the severity of all hatred and
the barbarity of alien conquest.